Ballet Slippers
by shandyiscanon
Summary: A pair of ballet slippers is all it takes to change the lives of those around them. Actual crime/shandy
1. Becca

A soft knock rang at her door. She was too engrossed in her thoughts to even look up. Andy softy opened the door and leaned against the frame. "Sharon," he whispered softly, not wanting to startle her. Still, she didn't look up from the pictures that were scattered across her desk.

Andy knew this case had been tough on her. It had been tough on all of them, actually. For Sharon, however, it struck a deep, personal chord.

It all began yesterday morning, when a woman came frantically running into the Major Crimes division, insisting to see Sharon. She was shocked, immediately pulling the woman into her office and shutting the blinds before asking her why she was there. The woman was an old friend of Sharon's, the mother of one of Emily's ballet classmates. Her daughter had been killed tragically in a car accident two years ago, but the two women still kept in touch. They had known each other for years, and her daughter's funeral was the only time that Sharon had seen the woman so upset.

"Carol, what's wrong," Sharon asked, resting a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Becca," she managed through a strangled sob, "She's missing."

"Okay," Sharon nodded slowly, taking in the Carol's appearance. Her bag was loosely dangling from her arm, her face red with fear and anger and guilt, and her eyes burning with the tears flowing freely down her cheek. "When was the last time you saw her," Sharon walked to sit them both down in the chairs that faced her desk.

"This morning, when I dropped her off at ballet. I had to run a few errands while she was there, and when I got back, she was nowhere to be seen. If I wasn't there, she knew not to go anywhere with anyone. I don't know what happened," she paused to take a deep breath and wipe at her cheeks.

"She went to the same ballet studio as our girls?" Sharon asked. Carol nodded, looking down at the floor.

"I asked what had happened, but her instructor said that one minute she was there and the next she was gone. Nobody saw a thing."

"Okay," Sharon said, leaning forward to grab the woman's hands. "I want you to go home. Take a shower. Keep your phone close by. If anybody calls, you let me know right away. I'll be sending a few detectives over to take a look around and grab a few of Becca's things."

Carol nodded, slowly standing up and walking towards the door before stopping. "Sharon" she said, turning to face her, "You'll find her?"

"Yes," she nodded, giving a sad smile, "We will find her." Carol turned again and made her way out the door, past the questioning looks of the lieutenants and detectives sitting out in the murder room. Sharon knew the minute she said those words that they would be true, but that sadly, it might not be the outcome that either Carol or Sharon were hoping for. She'd been in this business too long to expect happy endings anymore.

Sharon took a deep breath before heading out to face her colleagues and inform them of their new case. She glanced over to Andy's desk to see him already staring at her with worried eyes. Regaining her composure, she walked out the door and into the middle of the murder room.

"Okay, everyone, we have a critical missing on her hands. The child's name is Rebecca Hannigan. Four years old. Red hair, blue eyes. Lieutenant Provenza, Amy, please go to the grandmother's house and see if you can find anything we can use for this case, especially something for the dogs to get her scent. I'll text you her address right away. Mike, Julio, take Buzz with you to the ballet studio where Rebecca was last seen. See if you can get any security footage we can use. It's on the corner of Lattimer and Greenwald. Andy, stay with me and help organize a field search. We will need patrol out in at least a five mile radius, and I want traffic stops set up throughout the city to search for this little girl. We need to find her, and we need to find her quickly," Sharon managed, sighing as she stared at the board ahead of her.

"Uh, Captain," Provenza spoke up. Sharon looked at him with sad, heavy eyes. She was expecting some long, involved question that she really didn't have the time to answer right now.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"Let us know if you need anything else." Sharon nodded and watched as he and the rest of the team, with the exception of Andy, gathered their things and left.

"You okay," Andy asked, standing up and gently placing a hand on her arm.

"We need to find that little girl, Andy."

Sharon looked up from her desk, but she still hadn't acknowledged Andy. Her face was puffy and red, evidence that she had been crying, and her bottom lip was sucked between her teeth. Andy watched her as her shoulder heaved up and down in a steady rhythm as she tried to calm her breathing. He slowly walked over to her desk, sat down in the chair opposite of her, and covered her hands with his own. "I'm sorry, Sharon."

"It always has to happen like this," Sharon spoke with a cracking voice, "No matter how hard we try, no matter what we do, we can never seem to save them anymore." A single tear dropped onto Andy's hand. He looked down at it and then back up to Sharon. This time, she was staring at their hands. He rubbed gentle circles on her wrist, trying to calm her.

"There was nothing we could have done," he whispered, hating how the words sounded. They were true, though. The minute that girl went missing, the minute that man came for her, there was no hope. "That man was a monster. Becca, she didn't deserve any of that. None of them do, Sharon. The thing is, we stopped him. We stopped him from doing anything to anyone else."

"Its not enough," she said, finally looking up at him. "What does that do for Carol? What does that do for the previous victims and their families?"

"Nothing, Sharon. It never does do anything. We've learned that. We've also learned to accept that when we arrest and put away these creeps, we aren't really giving any justice to the victims that will never see their families again. We are only stopping future crimes from happening. Its not right, but sometimes we have to accept it," he leaned forward, and lifted her chin with his finger so that she was finally looking him directly in the eyes, "Its not easy. Its not going to be," he lowered his hand so that is was resting atop hers once more, "Are you going to be okay?"

Sharon looked down at their hands, the way his thumb curled around her wrist just gently enough to provide a comforting touch. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"No," she shook her head, "I'm not, not tonight, anyway. Maybe not even tomorrow."

"Oh," Andy sighed, not knowing what else to say.

"Can I go home with you?" Sharon asked shyly, "Please?"

"Sharon, I don't know if," Andy was ready to protest, she could tell. Ready to tell her that she shouldn't be making these kinds of decisions after such a difficult case.

"Just to sleep, Andy. Please? I want you fall asleep with you tonight." Andy smiled softly and nodded, giving her hands a squeeze.

"Fine."


	2. Lucy

"Any luck?" Sharon asked as Mike, Julio and Buzz walked through the room, heading directly for the murder board.

"I've got the security footage that I need to start sorting through," Buzz replied and Sharon nodded, looking to Mike and Julio for any more information.

"Well, ma'am, it seemed as though nobody at the studio saw a thing. The last time Becca was seen, she was changing from her ballet slippers into her sneakers on a bench right inside of the door," Sharon nodded again, looking to Mike.

"One of her ballet slippers was still lying at the foot of the bench," Mike said sadly, hanging a picture of the slipper on the board, "But no sign of the other."

Sharon took a deep breath and looked at the board. So far they had a picture of Becca, a picture of Carol, a picture of a ballet slipper, and rough timeline from one to one fifteen, in which Becca went missing. "So," Sharon began, "First thing is first - we need to find that other ballet slipper. It could be key in leading us to Becca."

"Captain," Provenza interrupted, striding across the room, "We have dogs out searching a five mile radius, nothing yet."

"And the traffic stops we have set up haven't yielded any results, either," Amy added.

"What about her father? Do we know anything about him?" Andy asked, looking to Sharon for an answer.

"Lucy never talked about him," Sharon answered, "Carol said it was because he insisted he didn't want anything to do with a child and Lucy gave him the ultimatum. He chose to leave. I always thought it was something else, though. Lucy never did tell Carol who it was. She suspected it was someone she knew from college, but she wasn't sure."

"So, he knew he was going to have a child?" Andy asked, looking for clarification.

Sharon smiled sadly, "That's my understanding, yes. I don't know anything more, though."

"The grandmother didn't know much about him, either," Provenza chimed in, "All she could tell us was that he had never been a part of Becca's life."

Andy stood up from where he was leaning against his desk and walked toward the center of the room, "But he did know about her. He should be our number one suspect."

"Only problem is, we don't have any idea who he is," Sharon sighed.

"Well, we're detectives. We'll find out."

Sharon tugged her jacket closer around her, protecting herself from the cool air of the night. Andy was fumbling with his keys, trying to get the door open. "Don't be so nervous," Sharon spoke softly, trying to calm his nerves.

"I'm not nervous," he quickly defended himself.

"You sure seem like it to me," she smiled, watching his hands struggle with the task before him.

Andy finally managed to get his key into the lock, with a look of disappointment on his face.

"Its okay, I like it when you're nervous," Sharon smiled, accepting Andy's hand when he offered it to her. He walked with her through the door and directed her forward before stopping to lock the door behind him.

"Do you want a cup of tea?" he asked.

Sharon shook her head and shrugged off her jacket, looking completely defeated. "No, thanks. I just want to go to bed."

"Okay," Andy nodded, taking her hand again and leading her towards his bedroom. As they entered, he held onto her hand, but he wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want this to be a physically romantic night for them. Sharon was exhausted, and if he was being honest with himself, so was he.

Sharon could see the dilemma written across Andy's face. She stepped in front of him so she was facing him and placed her palm against his cheek. "You've got that nervous look, again," she smiled.

"I'm glad you're here," he turned his head to kiss her palm, "And that you trust me enough to let me be here for you." Sharon smiled and turned away, making her way to the side of the bed, kicking off her heels and slowly undoing the buttons on her blouse.

"Is this okay? Or do you take this side?" she asked, looking down at the bed.

"Its fine," he nodded, repeating her actions as he made his way to the opposite side of the bed. Andy quickly rid himself of his shirt and his pants, leaving him in a tee shirt and boxers. Sharon giggled quietly from across the bed. "What?"

"Nothing," she smiled and shook her head, shrugging out of her own blouse and laying it on the chair beside the bed. She unzipped her skirt and let it pool at her feet before stepping out of it, not caring if it was left on the floor. Slowly, she raised her head to see Andy's gaze burning onto her. She knew that neither of them meant for it to be a romantic night, but she couldn't help but see the desire in his eyes.

"You're beautiful," he whispered.

Sharon realized that it was the first time he had seen her like this. Things were still new in their relationship. They were taking things slow, not wanting to rush into anything. Somehow, though, he made her feel entirely comfortable, as though he had seen her like that before. "Thank you," she whispered back.

Andy pulled back the comforter and the sheets and sat down, patting the space beside him. Sharon sat down and swung her legs up. She rested her head against the pillow and let out a heavy sigh. Andy scooted towards her and wrapped an arm around her to that her body was snug against his. Sharon turned in his arms and rested her hand on his chest her forehead to his chin. He inhaled deeply, amazed that her hair could still smell like lilacs even at the end of their long day. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and wrapped his arms around her even tighter, afraid of losing her, afraid that she might run; he really didn't know. He was just amazed that she was with him at all.

"Thank you for this, Andy," she whispered against his neck.

"My pleasure," he spoke into her hair.

They laid together in companionable silence, their breathing becoming even and more relaxed. Andy drew lazy circles on Sharon's back, keeping her held close to him.

"I love you," she spoke softly into his chest, not knowing if he had heard her.

"I love you, too."


	3. Carol

Sharon sat at her dest, looking over new information as it pooled in. She had security images from Buzz, but there was nothing conclusive among them. Looking out to the murder room, she saw the hustle and bustle of the team, everyone trying their best to find Becca, and to find her alive. The buzz of her phone against her desk caught her attention, and she looked down to see Carol's name flash across the screen. She took a deep breath before answering, "Hello, Carol."

"Sharon, is there any news yet," the woman asked, exhaustion heard on her voice.

"I'm sorry, Carol. We'll let you know when we find something we can go on. I have everyone that I can out on the streets and in the office piecing things together, trying to gather any clues as to where Becca might be," Sharon explained, staring at a picture of Becca in front of her.

"You'll call me, as soon as you know anything?"

Sharon nodded, "Yes, I will."

"Thank you, Sharon. For everything."

"Get some rest," Sharon said, "Its already been a long day."

Mike knocked on the door before opening it and walking in, "Captain, I think I might have found something." Sharon jumped up from her desk and followed Mike out to the murder room, where he had a video pulled up on the projector.

"What is it?" Sharon asked.

"Well," Mike began the video footage, "At first, the security video didn't look like it showed anything suspicious, but then I saw this," he paused pointing to the screen. "This man is seen in the video three times. Once, when Becca first enters her ballet class, again, during the middle of the session, and lastly, we see him pass just as most of the students and their parents make their way out of the studio. It didn't seem odd at first, people are constantly strolling down that street, its full of boutiques and shops. This man, though," Mike fast forwarded the video to show him again, "He showed a particular interest in the dance class."

"Did we get an ID?" Sharon asked, her hand resting over her chest with anticipation.

"We got a hit on the DMV database," Amy answered, "His name is Peter Kieser, 28, lives in West Hollywood."

"Let's get patrol,"

"They're already on their way," Julio interrupted, grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair.

"Okay," Sharon nodded, heading back to her desk to grab her phone before following the rest of the team to the address that Mike had sent to her phone. She walked back out to the murder room to find the team gone except for Andy, who was waiting for her at the elevator.

"Are you going to be alright," he asked, gently squeezing her shoulder.

Sharon nodded sadly, stepping in the elevator when the door opened, waiting for Andy to follow behind her before pressing the button for the parking garage. "As long as that little girl is okay, I'll be okay."

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Sharon's eyes fluttered open, violated by the bright morning light streaming in through the windows. She felt something heavy resting across her stomach and she took a deep breath, remembering where she was. The day was long, and she needed someone to be there for her. Usually is was Sharon who was there for Andy, as a buffer at Nicole's wedding and as his companion to the boys ballet recital, but last night, she had completely allowed herself to be open and vulnerable to him for the first time. She tucked herself in closer to his side, reveling in his warmth and the weight of his arm around her.

"Morning," Andy mumbled into her hair.

"You're awake?" she asked quietly, moving her hand to rest against his chest.

"Mhmm," he nodded, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head, "I was just waiting for you to wake up."

Sharon snorted, "You were watching me sleep?" She looked up at him to see a smirk across his face.

"Who could blame me? Your hair is spread out across the pillow, your mascara is smudged just a little on your cheek," he grinned, "You're in just a bra and underwear."

Sharon rolled her eyes, running her fingers through the hair on his chest.

"Honestly, you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Andy pulled her closer and she turned into him, pressing her lips against his neck.

"Are we going to talk about last night?" he asked.

"Hmm?" she smiled against his neck, remember the words they finally said to one another last night.

"Honestly Sharon, you like torturing me, don't you?" he rubbed small circles on her back, feeling her relax even more under his touch.

"I can't say I don't enjoy it," she answered, "It's just that when you love someone, all of those things are kind of included in the package."

"You said it again," Andy smiled happily.

"Said what?" she giggled, squirming when his hand began to tickle her side.

"Love," he smoothed his hand down her side, resting it at her hip.

"I did say it didn't I?"

"You did," Andy nodded.

"Hmm," she slid her hand up his arm and squeezed his bicep gently, "I do love you."

"I know," he kissed her cheek gently, "And I do love you, too."

Sharon lifted her head and pressed her lips gently against his. It was a soft, gentle pressure with no expectations, just the promise of the words exchanged. She pulled away with a smile and rested her head in the crook of his neck.

"It isn't fair," she whispered.

"What isn't?" Andy asked worriedly.

"I'm laying here with you, happy, for the most part," she began, "And Carol, she's planning a funeral for her four year old granddaughter. It isn't fair. I'm happy here with you, Andy, I am. But I'm sad." He felt a tear fall against his chest, and began rubbing soothing circles on her back once more.

"If you weren't sad about this, Sharon, I'd be worried," he looked down at her, her face still buried in his neck, tears still falling onto his chest, "It isn't fair. It isn't right that a child had to lose her life that way. You're a good woman, a great detective, a wonderful friend. You'll be there for Carol. She's going to need you. And I'll be here for you."

Sharon lifted her head to look at him and he reached up to wipe a tear from her cheek. "Thank you," She whispered.

"My pleasure."


	4. Emily

"Where is she?" Sharon yelled, slamming her hands down on the table in front of her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the man said, leaning back and crossing his arms.

Andy leaned forward, tapping against Sharon's arm to encourage her to sit back down. "Peter, we found one of her ballet slippers in the back seat of your truck. You can't expect us to believe you don't know what we are talking about, unless you have another explanation to the small ballet slipper tucked beneath your backseat."

The man shrugged, refusing to answer any questions.

"Peter, I've been trying to be very kind to you," Sharon spoke up, "But if we find that little girl dead, and you had anything to do with it, you will be sent to death row, tomorrow! Do you understand me?" she was shouting now, leaning across the table so that her face was close to his.

"Listen, lady, you better start searching now. It's going to take you a long time to find her," he shrugged again, sitting back in his chair, completely careless.

Sharon's eyes welled up with tears, but she wouldn't crack in front of him. Without speaking, she got up and left the room, slamming the door behind her. Andy sat for a moment longer, staring at the man across from him. "We'll find her," Andy nodded. He stood up and left the room, too. He found Sharon leaning back against the hallway wall, on hand on her stomach and one hand over her mouth, tears streaming down her face. He immediately walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, and she let herself collapse into his embrace.

"We will find her, Sharon," he said, holding her close to him.

"She's dead, Andy. I know it," she sobbed into his jacket.

"That may be true, but we still have to find her." Sharon nodded and straightened herself up in Andy's arms. Andy loosened his embrace and rubbed his hands down Sharon's arms.

"Let's go see what else is going on," Sharon said, wiping her tears and heading towards the murder room. Andy followed behind her, shaking his head sadly at the ground.

"Captain, dogs got a hit in a park less than a mile away from Peter's house," Julio announced. Sharon's heart froze in her chest. She took a deep breath, looked back at Andy, and then to Julio again.

"And, Becca?" she asked quietly.

"Not yet, ma'am." Julio shook his head.

"Let's go," Sharon announced, heading for the elevators. "This is it, it's time to find her."

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Sharon's phone vibrated on the table in front of her. After she and Andy had finally managed to roll out of bed, they decided to enjoy a nice breakfast before getting ready for what was sure to be a long day ahead of them. She looked down at the screen and saw Emily's name flash across it and answered immediately. "Hello."

"Hi mom. How are you doing?" Emily asked.

"Okay, yesterday was tough, but I'll be okay. How are you doing?" Sharon asked, taking a sip of her tea.

"I'm okay, except for I'm in my mother's condo and its completely empty. Care to explain that?" Sharon could see the smirk on Emily's face through the phone.

"I'm at work."

"Really?"

"Yes," Sharon lied, hoping Emily wouldn't catch on too quickly.

"Hmm. Well, that's funny, because I called Rusty to ask if he knew where you were, and he said he was down at the station helping Buzz with some project you gave him, and that you were nowhere to be seen."

Sharon sighed, rubbing her fingers against her temple. Andy raised his eyebrows curiously, but Sharon held up her hand, as though to say 'Don't ask.'

"Listen, Emily, wait. What are you doing at my place anyway?" Sharon asked.

"When I heard about Becca, I caught the first plane out," Emily explained, "I have to be here. For you, for Carol, for Becca, and for Lucy."

"Oh, honey," Sharon said, her voice cracking as she became overwhelmed with the emotion she felt for her daughter. She was proud that she had raised such a loving, kind, compassionate girl. "Listen, sit tight at my place. Take a shower, relax. I'll be home in an hour."

"Okay," Emily replied, "And mom?"

"Yes?"

"Tell Andy I said hello," Emily quipped before immediately hanging up the phone. Sharon sat with a horrified look on her face, her mouth open, staring into the space in front of her.

"So, Emily's home?" Andy asked. Sharon nodded, the expression on her face remaining unchanged. "And you weren't home?" Again, Sharon nodded. "And you lied and said you were at work?"

"Mhmm," Sharon slowly answered.

"And what did she say?" Andy asked curiously, taking bite of fruit off his plate.

"She said to tell you 'Hi,'" she spoke softly, waiting for his response. Andy smiled and nodded.

"Oh. That's all?"

"Why aren't you surprised?" she asked, eyeing him carefully.

"Sharon, you think Rusty doesn't tell her everything? She knows about us?"

"She does?"

"Yeah," he nodded, chuckling lightly.

Sharon sat with a shocked expression on her face. Once again, her children all knew what she didn't. She wasn't sure how they always knew more than she did about her own life, but it never failed to amaze her. Shaking her head, she stood up and walked to Andy, wrapping her arms around his shoulders placing a soft kiss behind his ear.

"Do you think she knows that I love you?" Sharon whispered.

"As long as I know, does it matter?" he asked, turning his head to softly capture her lips.

"No," she shook her head, smiling. "Not at all."


	5. Amy

Author's note: Sorry that it has been longer than usual since I last updated. Sadly, I had to put my dog to sleep earlier this week, and I've had a rough couple of days. The next few installments should be more regular. Thanks for reading.

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"Any luck yet, Lieutenant?" Sharon asked, arriving at a police tent that had been set up just outside of the park where dogs had picked up Becca's scent.

"Sorry, Captain," Provenza answered, "Still searching. We have every available man we have out there in the park looking right now," Sharon nodded sadly, looking at everything going on around her. Provenza squeezed her shoulder lightly, "I'm sorry, Captain."

"Me too, Lieutenant. Me too," she responded. Provenza went back to watching the monitors of cameras from the field search, and Sharon turned to speak to Andy. "I should call Carol."

"Are you sure?" he asked, running his hand down her arm. She nodded sadly, looking down at the ground.

"I think so. I have a feeling it won't be a good outcome, but she deserves to know that we have a lead. I promised her," Sharon sighed heavily, taking her phone out of her pocket and looking down at the screen.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" he asked, watching as her fingers tapped the back of her phone.

"No. Look for her, please. And find her," Andy nodded and walked away, stopping once to look back at Sharon to see her picking up her phone and pressing it to her ear.

Sharon patiently waited for an answer, biting on her lip and thinking of the right thing to say. Carol answered quickly, her voice heavy with anticipation.

"Sharon? What is it? Did you find her?" the slew of questions came quickly and all at once. Sharon suddenly felt flustered, unsure what to say.

"Carol, listen. We had a dog that had a scent pick up in a park in West Hollywood. We have every person and every dog we have available looking for her right now," Sharon calmly explained.

"West Hollywood?"

"Yes. I'm afraid that's all I can tell you right now. I just wanted you to know. Please, stay at home, and wait for my call. If we find out anything else I'll call you immediately."

"T-Thank you, Sharon," Carol hung up the phone. Sharon took a deep breath and turned around, seeing Amy looking through a stack of papers. She walked over to her and leaned against the table beside her.

"Captain," Amy acknowledged her, "I was just trying to multi-task a little bit. Sharon nodded, waiting for Amy to continue. "I was looking through Peter's finances. It shows a suspicious purchase recently from a pharmaceutical company."

"The purchase?" Sharon asked grimly, closing her eyes briefly for some relief.

"Chloroform, Ma'am," Amy sadly replied.

"Okay, thank you," Sharon nodded, standing up and walking to the edge of the tent. She looked out at the park, and watched as officers scoured the land, looking for Becca. She prayed. Prayed they would find Becca, prayed they would find her alive, and prayed that if they didn't, they would be able to put the asshole who murdered her away for life.

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Sharon unlocked her condo door and walked in, placing her purse and keys on the table directly across from the door. Without warning, Emily jumped off the couch and ran into Sharon's embrace. "Mom," she whispered into her mother's hair, kissing her cheek soundly, "I'm so sorry." Emily went to move back, but Sharon pulled her closer to her, not yet ready to let go.

"I'm glad you're here," Sharon said, finally pulling back and resting her hands on her daughter's cheeks. "I'm sorry its under these circumstances, tough."

"Me too," Emily replied sadly, reaching up to her Sharon's hands and placing them in her own, pulling them down between the two of them. "Its not right. First Lucy, now Becca. Poor Carol doesn't deserve any of this."

"Nobody does," Sharon pulled Emily to the kitchen with her, walking over to the tea kettle and turning it on. Emily sat down at a barstool on one side of the kitchen while Sharon prepared tea on the other.

"So where is Andy?" Emily asked, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

Sharon sighed and shook her head, pouring steaming water over the tea bags in their two cups. "He's at his house."

"And that's where you just came from?" she asked, taking the cup Sharon offered her.

"Emily, this really isn't any of your business," Sharon took a sip of her tea, placing her mug back down on the counter.

"Mom, I'm happy for you. I really like Andy." Sharon smiled softly at her daughter's comment.

"I did come from there."

"Ha! I knew it! How long have you two been together? Spending the night already? You? I don't believe it," Emily chimed, much more excited than Sharon thought she should be. Of course, she knew her daughter had misconceptions and was going to chastise what she thought was her improper behavior.

"We've been dating for three months, now. Not that its any of your business, but I'll have you know that last night I really was just sleeping at Andy's house. I didn't want to be by myself. Not after what happened. I just needed to be with someone else," Sharon sighed, taking another sip of her tea.

"Sure," Emily smirked.

"We haven't, Andy and I," Sharon struggled to find the right words, finding this conversation with her daughter to be very uncomfortable, "Andy and I are taking things slow. We haven't, we, um.."

"Mom, just say it," Emily encouraged her.

"We haven't reached that physical side of our relationship yet. I just wanted to sleep with him last night, that's all." Sharon looked across to Emily, seeing her with her hand held over her mouth and a shocked expression on her face.

"You haven't slept with Andy yet? Oh, the poor man," Emily shook her head. Sharon felt a blush run down her face and neck.

"Excuse me, young lady. What does that mean?" Sharon asked, glaring at her daughter.

"Mom, this isn't 1954. Cut Andy some slack. Three month's and you haven't had sex with him yet?" Sharon grimaced, unable to believe she was having this conversation with her daughter. "You've both been married before. You both have children. Its just, three months?"

"Yes," Sharon nodded, "We agreed to take things slow."

"At this rate you'll be eighty by the time Andy get's lucky." Emily rolled her eyes.

"Emily, this isn't a conversation we should be having right now," Sharon looked down at the counter, taking another sip of her tea.

"You're right," Emily nodded, "I'm sorry." She smiled and reached across the counter, taking her mother's hand in her own.

"Its good to have you home," Sharon spoke, smiling softly at her daughter. "You may be a bit irritating right now, but its good to have you home."


	6. Sharon

Chapter 6

Author's note: This chapter contains graphic content featuring the death of a child.

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Sharon trudged through the edge of the woods, looking around her at the officers and volunteers and search dogs who were using every bit of effort and energy they had to look for Becca. It had been a long and exhausting day, but Sharon was thankful that it didn't take them longer to find a viable lead. There could still be a chance that Becca was alive. Sharon prayed that somewhere, somehow, they would find her alive, although she knew the odds were against her.

At the sound of crunching leaves ahead of her, Sharon looked up to find Andy walking solemnly towards her, his head hanging down in sadness.

"You've found her?" Sharon asked quietly, afraid of the answer Andy would give. He nodded his head sadly, walking up to her and wrapping her in a hug.

"Sharon," he whispered in her ear, "You need to prepare yourself for what you are going to see. Do you understand what I'm telling you?" Sharon pulled back and nodded, her eyes welling up with tears. Andy rubbed his hand up and down her arms soothingly, then turned to lead her, his hand resting on the small of her back. They walked a few hundred yards in silence except for Sharon's labored breathing. Andy assumed it was in an effort to prevent the sobs that she was holding in. As they approached the team huddled in a circle around the small child, Andy stepped back, allowing Sharon to see for herself and setting their personal relationship aside. There was no doubt that Sharon would need him later. Now, though, she needed to be the Captain, to see things for herself, and to react without having Andy to lean on.

"Captain," Provenza spoke, stepping aside. Sharon took a step forward to see what she could only describe as the most horrific and disturbing image of her life. Becca was lying on the ground, lightly covered by a pile of leaves, some of which had been swept away in order for the search crew to identify her. She was still in her leotard and tutu from her ballet class. Sharon paused and took a deep breath and clasped her hand to her mouth as she continued to evaluate the scene. Around Becca's neck was her ballet slipper, tightly wound and surely the cause of death. Her lips were a deep shade of blue, her eyes closed. The braid that she had in her hair had since been taken out, her red curls lost in the orange leaves that cluttered the ground.

Sharon closed her eyes and turned away, not able to look at her for a moment longer. "Buzz," she said, turning to the young man standing beside her, "Video everything. Very carefully."

"Yes, Captain," Buzz answered, walking away sadly to make sure every image was captured.

"Collect any and all evidence in this park," Sharon spoke to the rest of the team, "I am not letting her killer go free."

The team quickly dispersed except for Andy, who called to the headquarters they had set up to alert them to cancel the search. Sharon slowly walked away, her shoulders heaving up and down. As soon as Andy finished the call, he moved quickly to catch up to her. "Sharon," he moved beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder. She stopped walking and turned into her, pressing her head to his chest and letting her tears fall carelessly into his shirt.

"God, Andy. That was awful. How could anyone do that?" she managed to say through sobs.

"Sharon, its okay," he said, wrapping his arms around her. Personal relationship aside, he would have done the same for any colleague. What they had witnessed was terrible. A four year old brutally murdered and left in a park forest. Andy held Sharon until her sobs subsided and he looked up questioningly into his eyes.

"How am I going to tell Carol?" Andy reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek and then pressed her head to his chest once more.

"Sharon, she has to hear it from you. Tell her we found Becca, where we found her, and that's it. She doesn't need the details. Spare her. Its going to be difficult enough as it is."

"I know," she nodded, pulling back and grasping his hands in hers, not caring who could have been watching them.

"Will you with me?"

"Of course."

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The day had been long and tiring, just as she had expected. Reviewing the final details of one of the most gruesome cases she had worked on had not been fun in the least. After she had finished at work, Sharon went to Carol's to help her with funeral arrangements and to be a shoulder to cry on. Emily opted to stay with a mutual friend of her and Lucy's, leaving Sharon alone for the night. When she finally got home, she took a long shower, hoping it would ease her tension. She changed into some yoga pants and a sweater and walked into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine. Taking a sip, she looked down at the red fluid that filled the glass. Nothing was helping the lonely feeling she had, but she knew who could. Walking over to her coffee table, she picked up her phone and called Andy.

"Hello," he answered after a few rings.

"Hi," Sharon replied.

"How are you doing?" he asked knowingly.

"I miss you. Come over?"

"I'll be there in twenty minutes."

Sharon hung up her phone and sat down on the sofa, her legs curled beneath her. She flicked on the television and mindlessly watched as she waited for Andy to arrive. Thinking about her day, she got lost in her thoughts and was only pulled back to reality when she heard Andy knock at her door. She turned off her television and walked to her door, opening it to the sight of a very casual Andy. In the three months they had been dating, it was almost always a casual affair or after work, so seeing Andy in dark jeans, a white tee shirt and a leather jacket was out of the ordinary, but not something that Sharon disliked. He walked through the door and closed it behind him and immediately pulled Sharon into a warm embrace.

"Hi," she mumbled into his shirt.

"Hello," he whispered, pressing a kiss into her hair, "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," Sharon looked up at him, blushing. She was just out of the shower, her hair still damp and not a trace of makeup on her face, but Andy was looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. His gaze burned deep into hers and his lips curled up at the sides, a small smile forming on his face. "Was there a point in the day that I said I love you?"

"I think so," Andy nodded, his smile now filling his face, "Did I mention it at all?"

"Yeah," Sharon looked down, blushing. "Do you want something to drink, water or coffee?" she asked, taking his hand and pulling him into the kitchen with her.

"No thanks," he answered, eyeing her full glass of wine that was sitting on the counter, "Not what you wanted?"

"No," Sharon shook her head and let go of his hand, moving to pour the wine down the sink and put her glass in the dishwasher. She turned her head to face where he was standing on the opposite side of the counter and bit her lip, her eyes dark and her face flush, "I wanted you."

"Oh," Andy whispered, quirking an eyebrow up at her.

"Mhmm," she nodded, walking over to the join him and pressing her hands gently against his chest, "You are the only thing, the only person who could ever be what I need," her voice was thick with seduction, and she knew Andy understood her words as he moved to wrap his arms around her waist, his hands resting gently on her butt.

"Sharon," he spoke, pressing his lips gently against hers, "Are you sure? I don't want to," he was cut off by her lips against his, her tongue licking at his lower lip until he opened his mouth, allowing her tongue to glide against his. Her hands moved up to wrap around his neck and tug at the hair at the base of his neck. His arms wrapped around her tighter, pulling her closer to him. This elicited a moan from her. Andy pulled back and moved a hand up to rest on her cheek, rubbing gentle circles there. He looked into her eyes, pausing to admire the soft smile that had formed on her lips, "You're sure."

She nodded. "I'm sure."


	7. Grace

Sharon and Andy walked up to Carol's door, preparing to give the notification they had been dreading. It was never easy, making a notification, but it was especially difficult when one was delivering it to a friend. It wasn't the first time either of them had to do it, and sadly, they both knew it wouldn't be the last. Andy squeezed Sharon's hand one time before letting go and knocking on the door. Carol opened it, and immediately began sobbing when she saw Sharon and Andy standing on her front step.

"Carol, I'm so sorry," Sharon said, stepping forward to pull the woman into an embrace. She continued to let Carol sob into her shoulder, glancing over at Andy, who sadly looked at the ground beneath him.

"W-Where did you find her?" Carol asked, pulling back to look into Sharon's eyes.

"Carol, I'm sorry. We found her in the woods behind a park in West Hollywood," she answered, soothingly rubbing her hand up and down the other woman's arms.

"Why there?"

"Carol, I'm sorry, I'm afraid I can't answer any of these questions, yet," Sharon answered sadly.

"Do you know who did this to her?" Carol asked, inhaling deeply as if to prepare herself for an answer she might not like.

"We have someone in custody," Andy interjected, "And we plan on charging him with, well, we plan on charging him today."

Carol nodded, moving her eyes from Andy back to Sharon. "Did she suffer, Sharon?"

Sharon frowned, her eyes heavy with sadness. "No," Sharon shook her head, knowing she was probably lying, "She didn't."

"Thank you, Sharon," Carol nodded, "For taking this case, for finding her."

Sharon nodded and pulled the woman into a hug once more before allowing her to go back into her home. She turned into Andy, who pulled her into his side as they made their way down the sidewalk to their car.

"You did good, Sharon," he whispered, placing a kiss into her hair before opening the car door for her. Sharon pursed her lips together, holding back tears.

"You too, Andy. Thank you."

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Andy sucked at a point behind Sharon's ear, a place that elicited a quite moan that managed to escape her lips. Her nails dug into the nape of his neck, pulling him closer. Andy kissed a warm trail from her ear down her neck, across her clavicle and down to her cleavage, until he was met with the barrier that was her shirt. Sharon looked down at him, a smile spread wide across her face.

"You look so beautiful," he whispered against her skin, his eyes burning deep into hers. A blush grew on her cheeks and neck. She gently grabbed his face and pulled him back up to her, crushing her lips against his. He slowly began to undo the buttons of her blouse, still gently caressing her lips with his own. As he reached the last button of her blouse he pulled her forward and pushed the object down her arms, never removing his lips from hers. While they sat up, Andy took the opportunity to unclasp Sharon's bra before lying her back down and pulling it from away from her chest and down her arms, exposing her creamy breast to him. Unable to resist temptation, Andy moved his mouth towards his chest, quickly taking one nipple into his mouth, earning a loud moan from Sharon. Her nails raked through his hair, pulling him closer to her chest. Andy took this as encouragement, and moved to Sharon's other breast, repeating his action, skimming his hands up and down her sides. As Andy nipped gently at Sharon's nipple, a fire within her sparked, needing him all at once. She pulled her from her chest and reached for his shirt, tugging it from his jeans. She quickly undid his buttons while sucking his bottom lip between hers, biting down gently as she pushed his shirt off his arms. She reached for his undershirt and swiftly pulled it over his head, separating her lips from his.

"Oh, God," she breathed, taking in the sight of him. Running her nails down through the hair on his chest, Sharon quickly reached for his belt buckle, undoing it along with his buttons and zipper while Andy unzipped her skirt. Sharon lifted her hips off the bed to allow him to pull both her skirt and her panties down her legs before tossing them aside. As she settled her hips back down onto the bed, Andy kicked his own pants and boxers off. He looked down at her naked form, mesmerized by the wonderful woman in front of him. How he had gotten so lucky, he would never know. Sharon recognized the look of concentration on his face, and she gently reached up swept her thumb across his cheek.

"I love you," she whispered. Andy looked into her eyes and pressed his lips gently to hers before pulling back, looking her over once more.

"I love you, too." Sharon reached up and placed her arms around Andy's shoulders, pulling him closer so she could wrap her legs around his waist. She pressed her lips to his neck as she felt her at her entrance, sucking on his skin to suppress a moan. Andy ran his hands down her sides and back up before resting them behind her head, pulling her closer to him as they finally became one.

Andy set a slow and deliberate pace, thrusting in and out of her as their moans and pants mixed in the air. Their skin became slick with sweat as their bodies pressed against each other in the soft gaze of the moonlight. Andy peppered kisses along her jawline as he sped up his pace. He snaked his hand between their bodies, gently applying pressure where Sharon needed him most of all. He could feel her quiver beneath him, her legs pulling him closer to her. With a few more thrust, Sharon lost all control beneath him, panting his name out into the quiet room. Andy couldn't help himself, his own release quickly following hers. He pressed his lips into her neck, whispering 'I love you,' against her skin.

Andy moved to lay beside her, pulling her close to him and wrapping her in his arms. He watched as she gazed up at the ceiling, her bottom lip tugged between her teeth, her chest heaving up and down. "You okay?" he asked, lazily grazing a finger up and down her arm.

"Amazing," she sighed, turning her head to look at him. She turned on her side and pressed her lips to his and then rested her head against his shoulder. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For tonight. For everyday. For taking things at my pace," Sharon whispered, rubbing circles against his hip.

"I'll do anything for you, Sharon. Moving at your pace, it came easy, and it was absolutely worth it," he winked, a smirk forming on his lips.

"Somehow, by the grace of God, Emily was right."

"Emily?" Andy asked curiously.

"Yes. She hinted that I was crazy for waiting so long, and she was right."

"You talked about us with Emily?"

"Not the point, Andy," she laughed, pressing her lips to his neck. "She said at the rate we were going, you wouldn't be getting any until you were eighty. That seemed like far too long to wait. I'm glad I listened to her," she smiled against his neck.

"If by the grace of God, then, so am I."


End file.
